I heard this live version of Born to Run this morning, and it fully transported me out of a weird rainy day mood into the epic, romantic, unparalleled drama that is a Bruce Springsteen song. There is so much I love about the Boss (as a person + performer + musician + writer), but perhaps what I love most is how his songs are very dramatic but somehow earnest and never overwrought. He truly lacks subtlety as a songwriter, but it works so well. I think it’s because he is an earnest person and believes entirely in the power of music in a very pure and not jaded or sarcastic way. It rocks. And it means we get lyrics like “I wanna die with you, Wendy, on the street tonight in an everlasting kiss.” Hell yea.

In an interview with Fresh Air a few years ago, Terry asks Bruce if he would ever say such a thing outside of a song. He laughs, and says probably not but acknowledges too that he loves the license for drama songwriting gives him. We love it too!

The amusement park rises bold and stark
Kids are huddled on the beach in the mist
I wanna die with you, Wendy, on the street tonight
In an everlasting kiss

The highway’s jammed with broken heroes
On a last chance power drive
Everybody’s out on the run tonight
But there’s no place left to hide
Together, Wendy, we can live with the sadness
I’ll love you with all the madness in my soul
Oh, someday, girl, I don’t know when
We’re gonna get to that place
Where we really wanna go and we’ll walk in the sun
But ’til then, tramps like us
Baby, we were born to run

Also sharing this song from Tunnel of Love that is soapy and perfect. The chimes at the end make it – pure Bruce.